U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,049 discloses a handheld work apparatus having a top handle, in particular a top-handle chain saw. An operating-mode selector, a throttle trigger and a throttle trigger lock, are pivotably mounted on the handle. The operating-mode selector and the throttle trigger coact when the operating-mode selector and the throttle trigger are in the starting position. The latch elements of the operating-mode selector and throttle trigger, which define the starting position, are arranged in such a manner that the operating-mode selector can be pushed into the starting position when the throttle trigger is not actuated. The throttle trigger is pivoted in the process. This pivot movement is blocked when the throttle trigger lock is not actuated. If, however, the throttle trigger lock is pressed, then the starting position can be engaged without the throttle trigger being actuated.
It is desirable that an engaging of the starting position of the operating-mode selector is not possible when the throttle trigger is not pressed by the operator.